Bhubaneswar, January 20: Odisha's Housing and Urban Development Minister, Dr. Krishna Chandra Mohapatra, emphasized the importance of women's safety and inclusive employment in public transport, announcing the induction of women drivers into the AMA Bus Service. He shared that 20 women candidates from the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) will receive specialized e-bus driving training in Pune, starting January 31.
Dr. Mohapatra chaired a high-level review meeting on the performance and operations of the AMA Bus Service, attended by senior officials including CRUT Managing Director Shri Sanjay Biswal, General Manager Shri Sahadeva Samadhiya, Special Duty Officer Ms. Pallavi Behera, and other department officers.
During the meeting, Dr. Mohapatra reviewed the operational framework of the AMA Bus Service and discussed measures to enhance safety, service quality, and infrastructure, aiming to strengthen public transport across the state.
The Minister underlined passenger safety as a primary concern, highlighting that alcohol consumption remains a major cause of road accidents. To address this, alcohol testing has been made mandatory for all AMA bus drivers. Last year, 1.97 lakh alcohol tests were conducted, including checks at the start and end of each trip, as well as random inspections during operational hours.
Of these tests, 19 drivers tested positive for alcohol use. In accordance with legal protocols, these drivers were arrested, and their licenses were suspended for three months. The revoked licenses were forwarded to the respective Regional Transport Officers.
In addition to safety measures, Dr. Mohapatra announced that CRUT, a trailblazer in government-run public transport, has provided over ₹4 crore in insurance coverage to the families of victims who lost their lives in road accidents.
The Minister also revealed plans for a dedicated driver training institute at the CRUT depot. The institute will focus on practical driving skills, behavioral training, traffic regulations, lane discipline, and road safety.
Dr. Mohapatra further instructed officials to accelerate the expansion of AMA Bus Services in Baripada, Keonjhar, and Angul, aiming to enhance public transport connectivity in these regions.
